blustery winds......a quiet story.
A cold blustery winter wind has taken hold. The land is saturated from recent heavy rains. Giant old trees are toppling.......onto the land, their giant roots exposed. For years, for decades they have stood proudly. Offered shade, homes to creatures great and small. Offered beauty, a food resource.........they are so enormous. It is hard to imagine them as helpless. So mighty........one man wryly chuckled as he shared that when his tree fell, the sound was so great that his constant companion, his beloved dog.......ran to safety and left the man to fend for himself. What a thunderous sound a cracking toppling tree must make.........this man was fortunate......his tree fell onto the ground away from his home. His dog was discovered under his master's bed, safe but uncertain. How will others fare these next few days?
My first year In Georgia......1989........came a strong wind like this. Along with it came a silent stealthy twister. Our home was on a hill as is the custom here. Most folks have a driveway that goes straight up or straight down........rich men seem to win the flat driveway lotto in "these here parts".........but I digress.
Family was visiting. All were sleeping. Sometime in the night an old sound, the sound of a freight train came upon us. Some woke and felt that icy cold fear that holds you in a tight vice-like grip. A body feels helpless, unable to move, unable to break those ropes. Trapped, frightened......listening so hard. Every sound becomes sharper. The world outside has become a stranger, as you wait......and wait and listen to every thump,crack, to every creak, every rattle.......
(Me? I'm ashamed to admit it.......I slept right through it.......
those were the
days of sound sleep my friends!)
The home next door was very close. Three grown men could lie down end to end and that was all of the space between. That night a very tall old pine fell in that tight stretch. It could have landed on either home, but it lay there..........dead center between both homes. We were amazed.
We were all safe, unharmed........still not completely aware how lucky.......blessed we were. We heard shouting and ran to see........a mighty oak had landed on our neighbor's vehicle in the driveway. And even more crazily, had created a skylight in the one empty bedroom upstairs. The only place that no one lay sleeping.......was now inhabited by this giant unexpected guest.
Heavy electrical cables and wires lay in a confusing web of danger in our cul-de-sac. Worried parents stood at the end of their driveways holding onto their young children, calling their pets back. There was a lot of barking, the sounds of emergency vehicles from a distance. We all watched, we all waited. We were without power, water........a feeling of being cut off from civilization comes quickly.
I count my blessings on this day that I have this ability to connect with you. I am in a warm safe, albeit dusty......beloved nest, my humble sanctuary. I have warm cushy slippers on my feet, the frig makes a comforting hum. The strong cold whistling winds remind me that winter has finally found Georgia.
Last night my thumb nail tore right at the quick. Poor baby thumb.......awwwww. Instinctively as I lay in bed I tucked my thumb into the palm of my hand protectively. My others fingers held it safe......a small community offering comfort.
Healing, new growth takes such a long time now. I still have a small reddish bump on the lid of my eye..........will it move on? Has it moved in? Our bodies fight so hard in care of us........sometimes we forget because our systems are so wonky. We can forget how hard they battle for us each and every day. I figure by the time May flowers come my nail will finally recup it's former sturdy oval perfection.
I have Momma's hands. Long slender fingers too impatient to learn to play the piano keys. She did, she played well. She tried to teach me, she tried to have others teach me. I was a tomboy girly girl.......so impatient. I had fields, creeks, ponds, country roads to explore, trees to climb, sand castles to build, swings to ride high through the sky..........cloud shapes to identify........sandy mud dandelion pies to bake - I miss Momma.
Do you hear me Momma? Yes Daddy I miss you too......!
Everyday I see her hands.......are they beautiful because the familiar shape of them reassures me? Just like when she taught me to pray? Taught me how to make pie crust for her delicious fruit pies, homemade cookies and cakes and of course Iowa's favorite thing to make room for........Jello. I read once that Iowa holds some kind of record for most recipes to make things out of jello with. We are all so proud. Smile at my silly poke at my home state, but yes I am proud of it's corny eccentricities and it's gentle rolling beauty.
Do I remember because of all the times she held my hand or from when she taught me how to tie my shoes the easy way? All the times her capable soft hands tucked me in......held a book as she read to me at bedtime? Sometimes she would indulge in some clear nail polish and they would shine, shine, shine. Momma was a beautiful lady.........she loved trees. She introduced me to Effie. Effie taught me how to determine how old a tree is by counting its branches when I was 5 or 6. Effie was our wise silvery haired neighbor across the street. She wore her long hair braided in a round fascinating heavy coronet on the back of her head. I asked her once if she was Rapunzel when she was a little girl because her hair was so thick........I never ever saw it down. But I thought for sure she was Rapunzel. Effie used to give me some long stares, she wasn't prone to giggling or poking fun at my endless curiosity about everything.
She would sit by her garden.........stare out at the world....all the while chewing slowly on a long blade of sweet summer grass..........the little town I grew up in isn't in the big history books and you won't see it talked about on the Discovery channel..........but our beloved Effie later donated a huge parcel of land to our small town to be kept as a glorious garden and land preserve.
Momma I miss you........the cold winter wind brought these memories to me today and for that I give thanks. I miss small town life......I miss Effie...I miss so many things, I pull my memories round me like a soft blanket and as I look down.........once again I see Momma's hands.
My first year In Georgia......1989........came a strong wind like this. Along with it came a silent stealthy twister. Our home was on a hill as is the custom here. Most folks have a driveway that goes straight up or straight down........rich men seem to win the flat driveway lotto in "these here parts".........but I digress.
Family was visiting. All were sleeping. Sometime in the night an old sound, the sound of a freight train came upon us. Some woke and felt that icy cold fear that holds you in a tight vice-like grip. A body feels helpless, unable to move, unable to break those ropes. Trapped, frightened......listening so hard. Every sound becomes sharper. The world outside has become a stranger, as you wait......and wait and listen to every thump,crack, to every creak, every rattle.......
(Me? I'm ashamed to admit it.......I slept right through it.......
those were the
days of sound sleep my friends!)
The home next door was very close. Three grown men could lie down end to end and that was all of the space between. That night a very tall old pine fell in that tight stretch. It could have landed on either home, but it lay there..........dead center between both homes. We were amazed.
We were all safe, unharmed........still not completely aware how lucky.......blessed we were. We heard shouting and ran to see........a mighty oak had landed on our neighbor's vehicle in the driveway. And even more crazily, had created a skylight in the one empty bedroom upstairs. The only place that no one lay sleeping.......was now inhabited by this giant unexpected guest.
Heavy electrical cables and wires lay in a confusing web of danger in our cul-de-sac. Worried parents stood at the end of their driveways holding onto their young children, calling their pets back. There was a lot of barking, the sounds of emergency vehicles from a distance. We all watched, we all waited. We were without power, water........a feeling of being cut off from civilization comes quickly.
I count my blessings on this day that I have this ability to connect with you. I am in a warm safe, albeit dusty......beloved nest, my humble sanctuary. I have warm cushy slippers on my feet, the frig makes a comforting hum. The strong cold whistling winds remind me that winter has finally found Georgia.
Last night my thumb nail tore right at the quick. Poor baby thumb.......awwwww. Instinctively as I lay in bed I tucked my thumb into the palm of my hand protectively. My others fingers held it safe......a small community offering comfort.
Healing, new growth takes such a long time now. I still have a small reddish bump on the lid of my eye..........will it move on? Has it moved in? Our bodies fight so hard in care of us........sometimes we forget because our systems are so wonky. We can forget how hard they battle for us each and every day. I figure by the time May flowers come my nail will finally recup it's former sturdy oval perfection.
I have Momma's hands. Long slender fingers too impatient to learn to play the piano keys. She did, she played well. She tried to teach me, she tried to have others teach me. I was a tomboy girly girl.......so impatient. I had fields, creeks, ponds, country roads to explore, trees to climb, sand castles to build, swings to ride high through the sky..........cloud shapes to identify........sandy mud dandelion pies to bake - I miss Momma.
Do you hear me Momma? Yes Daddy I miss you too......!
Everyday I see her hands.......are they beautiful because the familiar shape of them reassures me? Just like when she taught me to pray? Taught me how to make pie crust for her delicious fruit pies, homemade cookies and cakes and of course Iowa's favorite thing to make room for........Jello. I read once that Iowa holds some kind of record for most recipes to make things out of jello with. We are all so proud. Smile at my silly poke at my home state, but yes I am proud of it's corny eccentricities and it's gentle rolling beauty.
Do I remember because of all the times she held my hand or from when she taught me how to tie my shoes the easy way? All the times her capable soft hands tucked me in......held a book as she read to me at bedtime? Sometimes she would indulge in some clear nail polish and they would shine, shine, shine. Momma was a beautiful lady.........she loved trees. She introduced me to Effie. Effie taught me how to determine how old a tree is by counting its branches when I was 5 or 6. Effie was our wise silvery haired neighbor across the street. She wore her long hair braided in a round fascinating heavy coronet on the back of her head. I asked her once if she was Rapunzel when she was a little girl because her hair was so thick........I never ever saw it down. But I thought for sure she was Rapunzel. Effie used to give me some long stares, she wasn't prone to giggling or poking fun at my endless curiosity about everything.
She would sit by her garden.........stare out at the world....all the while chewing slowly on a long blade of sweet summer grass..........the little town I grew up in isn't in the big history books and you won't see it talked about on the Discovery channel..........but our beloved Effie later donated a huge parcel of land to our small town to be kept as a glorious garden and land preserve.
Momma I miss you........the cold winter wind brought these memories to me today and for that I give thanks. I miss small town life......I miss Effie...I miss so many things, I pull my memories round me like a soft blanket and as I look down.........once again I see Momma's hands.
Replies
Wrapped all up in a soft blanket of memories & love...what a beautiful feeling. I have Daddy\'s hands..long slender, boney fingers. Piano hands, but never did learn to play either, Ruthie. My grandma played the piano at her church for year. I have her hands too. My Mom had short fingers & even when she was dying...I remember how young her hands looked.
Sounds like the weather has been bad all over the country. Today it\'s still windy, but it feels like a beautiful spring day. The grass is turning nice & green from all the down pour of rain yesterday. A tree was up rooted in a neighbor\'s yard yesterday.
Hope your week goes well & you get the rest you need. Love, hugs & prayers my sweet friend.
I so enjoyed reading your journal today. You are so blessed to be able to put all those wonderful memories into words! I struggle to put words to my thoughts. I remember my Mama\'s hands so well too. I feel blessed that you caused me to remember both my Mama and my Daddy and all the special memories I have of them. I see them clearly often in my dreams and I know/feel/hope I will see them and all my loved ones in the hereafter. Bless you!
I learned also that you are originally from Iowa! How nice. I have two friends that live there...in Forrest City, Iowa.
That storm must really be something with all those wonderful old trees falling everywhere. I hope it has passed you by by now.
Hugs and love to you, dear special friend!
Beautiful touching loving memory packed journal...thank you for sharing your life with us. Xxoo
Wow..... Beautiful! Touched home in so many ways my friend. Thank you so much for sharing a part of you here with us xoxo
I loved this!! I was thinking about your fingernail accident, and how long it takes to heal the simplest things. I just had a tooth extraction, which you know about....and man, it\'s been a month and there is still a hole in my mouth. I think our bodies are in overdrive fighting with our own bodies, that they\'re too busy to bother with the small stuff. On the other hand, I haven\'t gotten the common cold since I got sick with CFS (or whatever they\'re calling it on the boards now) in 2007! Amazing. It\'s like our bodies have forgotten what they\'re supposed to do and are just in limbo....doing wierd things, conjuring up new things, leaving us trampled....out of control, so that no one can figure out how to help us. Thank God, for God! I know He knows what the heck is going on. Someday I\'ll ask Him myself!
Loved the stories about your mama. I loved mine too. I can see my mama\'s hands as well. I remember her singing \"God will take care of you\" before bed every night. Gosh, I have so many wonderful memories of her! I\'m thankful I still have my dad. Storing up those memories as I go along!!
Ok, Wonkie birdie. Back to bed with me!!
That tornado experience really hit home, as we just went through Sandy....I can remember that feeling of \"what\'s going to happen\" as we watched the trees bending over in the yard....ohhhh....God protected your family.....for sure!! xoxo